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I thought I would write about Edward William Sharp today (some also list him as William Edward Sharp, I am not clear which is correct), known to the family as Uncle Ed. He has a tender, yet thorny, position in the family.

Ed Sharp and Bob (?) 17 February 1949

Edward William Sharp was born 25 October 1887 in Plain City, Weber, Utah, the seventh child to Milo and Lilly Sharp. My Great Grandmother, Ethel, was Ed’s younger sister, number 11 in line. I have written more of Ethel’s marriage to Jack Ross. Ed Sharp comes into the family line more closely when Ethel died in 1925. She left behind five children, namely: June, Milo, Paul, Harold, and Earnest. The four children were taken back to Paul, Minidoka, Idaho in 1925 to be raised by their Ross grandparents, James and Catherine Ross, while Jack got back on his feet. As winter came and progressed the family struggled. Earnest passed away the fall of 1925 in Rupert, Idaho. Jack was gone for unknown reasons and James and Catherine called Ethel’s family to come get the four children. Starting that winter of 1925-26, Milo Ross was raised by his Uncle Ed. June went to live with her paternal grandparents, the Streeters in Ogden. Paul and Harold were raised by Ed’s siblings, Vic Hunt and Del Sharp respectively. Sadly, Paul fell from a loft in a barn in 1932, broke his arm, and suffered a concussion that would take his life in 1932.

Edward Sharp met and married Lillie Elva East 13 May 1909 in Plain City. She was born 16 February 1888 in nearby Warren, Weber, Utah. Together they had 10 children.

Lillie Elva East Sharp

Edna Louise Sharp born 11 January 1910 in Plain City.

Florence Evelyn Sharp born 30 June 1911 in Plain City.

Marjorie Lillian Sharp born 23 June 1913 in Plain City.

Ethel Sharp born 8 July 1917 in Plain City.

Ethel Sharp and Wayne McCool

Elmer George Sharp born 15 June 1919 in Plain City and died 12 November 1923 in Plain City.

As a reminder, Grandpa, Milo Ross, was born in 1921 in Plain City. He falls right in the middle of the entire family and became one of the siblings. To tell the difference between Milo Ross and Milo Sharp, I will use their last name.

Milo James Ross

Unfortunately, things were not quite that easy. Ed farmed a nice little farm in Plain City. He also had some cows, pigs, and other animals. The family grew up in the Depression with all the anxieties and difficulties that came with it. Fortunately the farm was mostly paid for and the farm provided for itself and the family.

Despite technically being blood to Ed, Milo Ross was treated differently than the other children. Milo Ross was not allowed to eat with the rest of the family. When the family was done with the meal, then Milo Ross could eat. Often alone. Milo Ross was expected to work longer than the rest of the family, into the time while the rest of them ate. Milo Ross was also expected to arise earlier and get things in order for the day before the rest of the family. He did not often get to eat with the rest of the family for breakfast and often only got some bread and milk. He was also given some of the more undesirable jobs around the farm. For example, it was his job to tend the onions which often left him smelling of them and he found that embarrassing.

L-R: Milo Ross, Josephine Sharp, Howard Hunt, Milo Sharp, Ruby Sharp

Ed also had some drinking issues and had a certain temper. Of course his family saw the issues that arose as part of the alcohol, but it was Milo Ross who felt it. He was the one who suffered the wrath of Ed’s drinking bouts at the end of a belt or sometimes worse. While Milo Ross loved his cousin-siblings, the relationship was not as kindred with Ed.

Milo Ross was only one year in age from Ruby who he ran around the countryside with. They were close enough that they would hold hands. They did quite a bit together. He was also close to Milo Sharp, but he was still three years behind him in age. The older siblings, Edna (who went by Louise), Florence, and Ethel were good to him, but were close to each other and did mostly their own thing. Ed kept Milo Ross busy that he did not get as much time with the younger children but he grew close with Josephine and Edward (known as Eddie in the family). Dean was young enough that he was around him some, but did not have as close of a relationship.

As I mentioned in the story of Ed’s parents William & Mary Ann Sharp, she also went by Lilly, the Sharp and Stoker families came to Utah as converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A number of issues arose in Plain City and families left the church. Ed’s parents followed that suit remaining with the Episcopalian faith. Ed and Lillie did as well, but were not very active. The Mormons continued to work on bringing the families back to the church. The Sharp family started to work through Delwin’s family first and the faith spread through Ed’s nieces and nephews and into his own family. Only one of Ed’s siblings joined the LDS faith while alive, and that was Vic in 1975.

Edward Sharp, Delwin & Violet Sharp, 13 August 1957

Marjorie, Ethel, and Ruby all joined through the waters of baptism on 12 May 1939. Milo Ross joined 2 July 1939 (only after 18 as Ed would not give consent otherwise). Louise, Florence, Milo Sharp, Josephine, and Eddie all joined 3 January 1943. Dean was the last on 31 October 1943, he was not 8 in January to join with the remainder of his siblings.

As soon as Milo was of age, he looked for opportunities to get out. He eventually married, moved in with his in-laws, and then the impending war took his services abroad.

Milo Ross did not tell only negative about Uncle Ed. Grandpa regularly told of how he learned to work hard under Uncle Ed. While somewhat an outsider, Ed kept in contact with the extended family and Grandpa’s position in the family meant he was regularly tending to his Grandmother, Lilly Sharp mentioned above. While it was his strict duty to clean out his Grandma’s bedpan, keep the kitchen and house wood split and stocked, and whatever else she needed or wanted. Grandpa relished those moments in her home and with her.

Lillie East Sharp died 4 September 1942 while separated from her husband. She had started divorce proceedings but died before they completed. She was buried in Plain City. Milo Ross remembered her as a beautiful lady who he sometimes told his woes, but she acknowledged the issues but took no steps to resolve them.

Ed died 24 August 1962 in Othello, Adams, Washington. The family brought him home and buried him in Plain City too.

This is the fourth of the class photos. I believe this is actually the 1936-1937 year (Grandpa says in his writing it his his 10th Grade year). This class attended Weber High School located in Ogden, Weber, Utah. These students graduated in 1939. Nearly all these students came from Warren, Plain City, West Weber, and those parts of the county for school. Out of the whole picture, only one passed away in World War II (as far as I can tell, ALL the men served).

Since I am on a kick of pictures from my Grandpa’s collection, here is the third of the four. This is the 9th Grade class my Grandpa was in. Mr. John Reece would be this class’s teacher the next year too. I am pretty sure the 9th Grade was at Weber High School, but I have been unable to confirm what year switched between Plain City School and Weber High School in Ogden. Several of these boys died in World War II. The ones with question marks are likely still alive.

Here is another photo, the second of the four, but from Grandpa’s 8th Grade year. This was taken outside the old Plain City School in Plain City, Weber, Utah. The question marks probably mean they are still alive.

This is the first of four photos from Grandpa Milo Ross’ class pictures. This photo is of the 1st Grade class for the school in Plain City, Weber, Utah for the year 1927-1928. You may find it interesting to see how the individuals grow up over the next 10 years or so (through the four class photos). Here is some biography on the individuals in the photo. I started with spouses, but some married multiple times and it just became messy, sorry.

This is a photograph taken of the individuals who put on a play in April 1936 at Plain City Junior High School in Plain City, Weber, Utah. The play was “The Girl Who Forgot”. The Ogden Standard Examiner announced the play 3 April 1936.

I thought I would make these two pictures available to start making more of the Andra/Wanner line available online. I do not know who the couple in the middle are above, but the other four individuals I do know. Mary and Willard are siblings.

The four people in this photo I know are the same as above. Hopefully I can get some more by putting this online. But since it is the same people, you can reference above for information. This photo is also believed to be in Queen Creek.